Death
by A Random Bowser
Summary: Round Eight Entry for the QLFFC. Post war Andromeda Tonks asks the question, "Why live when everything I lived for is dead?"


Title: Death

Author: **A Random Bowser**

Beta:

Word Count: 1,142

For: The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition- Wigtown Wanderers

Prompts: Andromeda Black

_Optional prompts:_

_Tap on the window_

_Destruction_

_Rare_

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

**Author's Note:** Okay, so I took a little bit of a different look at Andromeda Black then what I normally see so the character might be ooc. Also, I had some problems fact checking. POSIC! So I can only hope that there aren't too many fact errors. This is set post-war. Enjoy

It was rare for a Black, and though she had been disowned Andromeda still considered herself to be one, to be overly expressive, overly sentimental, overly attached to anything. It was one of the reasons the family was so disquieted with her cousin Sirius. It wasn't the fact that he was at heart, as well as school, a Gryffindor, though that fact did confirm some of the suspense about his inner nature his parents had, nor was it the fact that he preferred the company of the blood traitor, Potter, though Andromeda knew his parents had hoped that Charulus and Dorea would help her cousin to calm down, no, it was the fact that the fool was always so damn expressive, about everything even to the point of turning his back on the family, that led to him being disowned. What made it worse is that he was proud of the fact, as if willingly turning his back on all his family stood for was an achievement to be proud of. Andromeda sniffed as she took a sip of her tea inhaling the bitter scent of chamomile.

Andromeda had been silently relieved that the man had been sent to Askaban, not because the man was a killer, although all the facts seemed to indicate that this was the truth, because the fact that he betrayed those he called friend, no those he called family was him bringing yet another stain upon the Black family. No Andromeda was relieved because his imprisonment meant that she could raise her young daughter without having to worry about him influencing her life. It was common knowledge that he other cousin, Sirius's brother, Regulas was dead. True, nothing had ever been released to state the fact, but the purebloods knew, and Andromeda still had enough friends from her time as one of the infamous Black sisters to stay in the loop, so to speak. With her Uncle's health slowly deteriorating and her Aunt becoming mentally unstable, it wouldn't have been long before they would have been forced to accept Sirius back into the family, just to continue the family name, as there were no other male heirs. In Andromeda's mind it was, indeed a good thing the fool wouldn't be around.

And then he came back. Thirteen years of peace and the fool had to break out of prison and reclaim the family home, not only enforcing a new set of philosophies upon the family, but drawing her daughter, a daughter that reminded her of herself, into a fight that was unbeatable. Andromeda shook her head slightly, 'I should have cursed the fool to insanity as soon as I met him.' The older woman thought. 'I never should have given him a chance.' But she had, because as much as she disliked Sirius, he was still a Black, still family.

Now it was too late to do anything. Edward, her husband, her rock and love, was dead. Killed by the Snatchers. Her oldest sister was also dead, killed by the bitch Molly Weasley, an act that would bring blood feud between the two families if Andromeda had her way, and her younger sister would soon be standing trial for war crimes. There was little doubt in her mind that her sister, as well as her brother in law and nephew, would make it through just fine, they had already done it once. They would do it again. Her daughter, her pride and joy, was dead, found lying in the mud beside her werewolf lover in the after math of the Battle for Hogwarts. This was the fact hurt so much, for with Nymphadora's death came the end of the Black Family.

That filthy abomination the light side called "pup" that her daughter had given birth to would never carry the Black name, nor would she ever allow it to have any association with her family. The thing was well named, Lupin after the wolf its father had been. 'The destruction of the Black family is well and truly complete, my cousin must be crowing in his grave.' Andromeda thought as she stood, leaving her tea cup in its saucer on the table for the house elves to retrieve, crossed the small sun room to the glass doors which exited out onto the patio, scooping up her shawl from where it lay draped across the back of the couch ready for her hands as she passed by.

The garden was impeccable, of course Andromeda expected nothing less, and there was a cool breeze in the air, a warning that summer was passing to fall. Yet, after a few minutes, the widow found that she didn't enjoy the sight as she once had. Instead her gaze kept falling t the empty rocker beside her, the place her Edward would sit as they discussed their plans for the day each morning, before going about their days. "I can't do this anymore, love. My family is ruined and gone, and I am all alone. I don't want to live without you. I don't want to have to face the world knowing that from his grave, my cousin has succeeded in bring down the family the way he swore he would."

Andromeda sighed and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against the worn wooden headrest of her rocker, its soft steady creaks was lulling and soothing. With her eyes closed she could almost forget that her husband and daughter were now dead, that everyone she had loved in life had left her along. Tears etched their way slowly down her face but Andromeda paid them little mind, she had cried so much in the last few days these tears were little more then drops in a never ending well of grief.

She was bone weary when she rose from the rocker and made her way indoors, despite in being only eight in the morning. Dropping her shawl on the back of the couch as she passed by it, Andromeda paused to straighten a few knick knacks in the living room, and to make sure that all the books were straight on their shelves as she made her way back to her bedroom. The vial was there, a potion she had ordered from Knockturn Alley, waiting for her on her bedside table, where she had placed it the night before. It was dark black with streaks of blue swirling about it. Andromeda smiled grimly as she slipped off her shoes and settled herself comfortably against the mattress, and with a shaking hand, she reached over and grabbed the potion in a swift movement, drinking it quickly before she could change her mind again, the tapping of an owls beak against the window went unnoticed, and minutes later the owl gave up and returned the letter to the hands of its sender.


End file.
